[10/16/12 - 11:11 AM]New and Returning Show Premieres Lift The CW to Most Watched Week in 20 MonthsThe CW spins the numbers for the week of October 8-14.

[via press release from The CW]

NEW AND RETURNING SHOW PREMIERES LIFT THE CW TO MOST WATCHED WEEK IN 20 MONTHS

ARROW Hits The Mark as The CW's Most Watched Show on Any Night in Three Years, and is the Most Watched CW Premiere Since
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES Premieres Up in Viewers and Key Demos Versus
Last Season's Premiere

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Gets Out of the Gate Strong,
Improves Time Period in Key Demos

October 16, 2012 (Burbank, CA) - The CW's late fall launch strategy paid off last week, as the network saw its most watched week in 20 months (since 2/21/11), had its best week in adults 18-49 in a year, and had its best week in adults and women 18-34 since February.

The CW averaged 1.95 million viewers last week (10/8/12-10/14/12), its most watched week in 20 months, and a +17% increase over this same week last season (10/3/11-10/9/11). The CW was also up in adults 18-49 (0.8/2) compared to this week last season.

This was The CW's best week among adults 18-49 in a year (11/7/11) and its best since February in adults 18-34 (0.7/2) and women 18-34 (1.0/3).

WEDNESDAY

The series premiere of ARROW on Wednesday night drew 4.14 million viewers, and was the network's most watched telecast of any show, on any night, in three years (10/29/2009). It was The CW's most watched series premiere since THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (9/10/2009).

ARROW was also the most watched show in the Wednesday 8:00-9:00 pm time period in more than three years (5/13/2009).

ARROW beat NBC's original comedies in the hour in total viewers and in adults 18-34 and tied in adults 18-49.

The ARROW premiere also gave SUPERNATURAL a boost; it was SUPERNATURAL's most watched episode (2.51M) since 10/29/10, and it had its best adults 18-34 rating (1.0/3) since 5/6/11.

Week to week, SUPERNATURAL was up 35% in total viewers, and up two-tenths in both adults 18-34 and adults 18-49 (1.0/3).

It was The CW's best Wednesday night in total viewers (3.3M) in more than two years (5/12/10) and in two years in adults 18-34 (1.1/3, 12/1/10) and in adults 18-49 (1.2/3, 10/13/10).

When Live + 3 Day DVR viewing is added in, ARROW averaged 4.8 million viewers, a 16% jump over its L+SD total, and it also gained 24% in adults 18-34 (1.4 rating). With L+3 data, SUPERNATURAL gained 26% in total viewers (3.2M) and 32% in adults 18-34 (1.3 rating).

THURSDAY

Entering its fourth season, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES still has teeth. With competition including the NFL and MLB playoffs, Thursday's premiere was up 13% in women 18-34 (2.6/8 vs. 2.3/8) compared to last year's season premiere, up 7% in adults 18-49 (1.6/5 vs. 1.5/5), up 3% in total viewers (3.18M vs 3.1M) and held steady in adults 18-34 (1.7/6).

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES outrated both NBC and ABC in the 8:00-9:00 pm hour in adults and women 18-34, and outrated NBC and tied ABC in adults 18-49. THE VAMPIRE DIARIES also outrated NBC in total viewers (3.18 vs. 3.14).

It was THE VAMPIRE DIARIES best performance among women 18-34 in two years (11/11/10).

Compared to this same week last season, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES was up 30% in women 18-34, 14% in adults 18-49, 6% in adults 18-34 and 10% in total viewers.

The series premiere of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST had a solid debut - versus last year's season premiere of THE SECRET CIRCLE it was off just a tenth in adults 18-49 (1.2/3) and two tenths in adults 18-34 (1.1/3).

Versus this same week last year, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is up across the board in the time period, up 22% in adults 18-34, up 14% in women 18-34 (1.6/4) and up 50% in adults 18-49 (1.2/3).

With Live + 3 Day viewing added in, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES rises 23% in total viewers (3.9M), 26% in adults 18-34 (2.2) and 27% in women 18-34 (3.3). Including Live + 3 Day viewing, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST rose 17% in total viewers (3.25M), 23% in adults 18-34 (1.3) and 25% in women 18-34 (2.0).

FRIDAY

Friday night's repeats of the series premieres of ARROW and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST gave the series some great additional sampling.

An encore of the series premiere of ARROW at 8:00-9:00 pm drew 2.1 million viewers, a 0.6/2 in adults 18-49, a 0.4/2 in adults 18-34 and a 0.5/2 in women 18-34.

An encore of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at 9:00-10:00 pm drew 1.4 million viewers to the time period.
These numbers do not reflect Live + 7 DVR viewing, which has typically boosted The CW in percentage gains more than any other broadcast network.